SOUTHLAND NEWS NOTES

Otago Witness, Issue 2814, 19 February 1908, Page 52

SOUTHLAND NEWS NOTES

(Fbom Our Own Cohhespoxdext. )

INYERCARGILL, February 15. As yet none of the new season's c-atß have been on offer in the local market, although harvesting operations may now be saicl to be general throughout Southland, except in a few of the lfcter districts. The continued fine weather experienced during the past month has admitted of cutting being carried on without a break, and the consequence is th*t the 1908 crop of Southland oats should be of excellent colour, though. I understand, some hare not filled quite as well as was expected. Merchants have been doing a little business with Wellington and Auckland for forward delivery, and have sold * few thousand bags at from 2s 3d to 2s 4d (f.0.b., sacks in) for -March-April shipment. It is expected that the coming week will see a good many samples offering from the country stations, and it is probable that the bulk of the Southland farmers will sell if they can get 2s on trucks from the mill for their oats. Practically nothing is doing in chaff. During the pa6t month all the available stores have been filled with wcol, and as no Irasiness is doing with Dunedin, merchants have not been at aill keen to buy. Prices for old chaff have ruled at from £3 10s to £3 15s on trucks, but only a few lot 3o£ the new eeaaon's article have so fa* been offering. Growers are askings £4 cm trucks, which ai the present stage ia too much to allow of merchants operating. The local market foT ryegTass is very quiet. There are not a great many samples offering fiom the country, as fanners, with the experience of past seasons in view, are not disposed to sell at present quotations. Dunedin merchants have bought a considerable quantity during the past week at from 2s lOd to 3s on trucks at Invercargill. The seed offering is fairly clean and heavy, and of good colour. Present quotations are from 2s 6d to 2s 8d on trucks at country stations for average samples. . The long spell of dry weather experienced in Southland, and the consequent shortness of grass, is having a bad effect on the local sheep market. Several growers complain that their turnip crops are a failure, and, generally speaking, the outlook at present is not too promising. Farmers with early winter feed are not inclined to stock up at present, as they fully expect to buy as cheaply in another fortnight's time. Sheep are being offered from North Otago and Canterbury, but at present their prices are above those ruling looally. Lambs are not fattening as well as could be wished, and buyers complain that they »re unable to get any quantity for freezing. Present quotations for lambs are from 4gd Ho 4&d per Ib, and in most instances the , grower is not keen to accept this amount, j preferring k> hang on on the chance of the .London market advancing to something like , sast year's level. Good store lambs, suitable for rape, are practically the only class of j rfheep at all saleable, and these can be placed at from 12s to 12s 9d. No young «wes are as yet changing hands, but it is exipacted that in another six weeks these will ht> quite as high as in previous years. Fat ■wethers are being sold in small quantities for butchers' purposes tut from 16s 6d to 18s. Several owners of these sheep, not being willing to accept ruling rates, are, I understand, freezing and sending Home on their own account. " The operations in the local fat-cattle market fere confined to supplying local butdiers requirements. From 20s to 22s 6d per 1001b j is being paid for prime beef, and the supply fit the present time may be said to exceed the demand. It it expected that as winder j .approaches fat cattle command more payable prices th*n at the present time. Store cattle of all sorts are exceedingly dull Of sale, though inquiries have been received iroin Otago for well-bred yearlings and two- ' year-olds. The wool sales held here last Tuesday were probably the most disappointing ever conducted in Invercargill. Farmers -who passed their wool at the first sale in anticipation »f a rise had on Tuesday to face a ar°PJ> f lid to 2d per 1b on all classes of wool. The Bale was « most lifeless one, from start to 'finish, and bad- it not been for several local f peculators it would have been worse. Bradord representatives -.'were absolutely careless *s to whether they purchased a bale or not, • -v~ several farmers."- unwilling to accept - r» ( cs. are shipping Home on their <jv r.ccount, although the latest London taab'egrams do not indicate much prospect st>f a rise in. that market. fp There is no change to report in the fibre ; market except that it is slightly easier than Jbefore, with no immediate prospect of any 'ladvanoe. A number of local millers are inclined to the belief that the market will {improve, but they are unable to give gcod seasons for their be-lief, and when it is retmembered how small our output of fibre is compared with the enormous production of sisal and Manila, it become* clear that we aaay not look for a rise through shortage of tthese last-mentioned fibres. The only way tin which the New Zealand fibre market can ibe improved is by lowering the price, and this can only be done by reductions in the price of the Taw material and oi labour. The fact is that royalties could be Teduced 60 per cent, and mi.ll leave the industry a, profitable one for growers, aud when it is noted that the price of manufactxue runs from £10 to £13 per ton on to the tiueks, it will be seen that there is room for reduction in this cost. The present methcel of jnanufacture is too cumbersome, and xuilpe^ large reuctions can be effected in the purchase of raw material and of wages, in which there has been a rise of quite 25 per cent. in the last five years the resuscitation of this industry mint depend on the mtioduction ot labour-saving machinery February j7. Madame Clara Butt had a great reception in Invercargill on Monday night last, ■withstandin° the very high prices the house •was crowded, aud those who- had the good fortune to hear thir great contralto were delighted with the experience The prices advertised weie 21«, 30-5 Gd. and for tha gallery ss, but at the eleventh hour part of the gallery was let at 2s 6d oioumably because not Fufficiert 5s ticket-holders were forthcoming to fi'l it. J. D. Shepherd, a well-known rainier of Ma.ta.ura Island, had the misfortune to s?rt m severe bruising and one of his rib= broken through hi 9 horeee bolting at the Eclenclale station last Tuesday. At the some time a man named Grierson bad his leg bioken from the Bame cause. Mr Swindrett is not to "have a -walk-over for the mayoral j in Apiil, as Mr Duncan MacFarlane, a former Mayor of the town and a present councillor, has announced his .intention of standing against him. After the wool sale at the Victoria Sail en Tuesday evening, Mr John Stiouach, one %jf the moat popular men in Scuthlar.d, was farewe!'ed by Ins many friends connected with the «tock and station agency business, ■when Mr Strettell on behalf of the sub£cnber«, handed to Mr Stronach a purse of aixmt 100 bovc-re.gnc In making the presentation Mr Stifet-te'l sad thai Mi Stronach ■would bo greatly ni'-t-cd ben j; o«p of the whitest men wlio ever stePl-* in shoe

leather- A separate presentation, consisting of a travelling bag and a travelling rug, subscribed for by the junior members of the various Crescent staffs, was also made at the same time. There can be no doubt that, quite outside of those with ■whom he has 1 been most intimately ennnectea. Mr Stronach will be greatly missed He is one of the most genial men, sympathetic and ready to help any who may require his assistance. Mr John Turnbull. for many years manager of the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company. Invercargill, and lately advisor to the company, died at his residence, Gala street, on Sunday evening last very suddenly from heart failure, »t the age of 82. Mr Turnbull had been a resident of Southland for 46 years, and had taken his full share in all the public service. He was a great supporter of acclimatisation work in Southland, and was chairman of the local society for many years. The funeral on Wednesday was a very large one. A special effort is about to be made tn provide a new operating theatre for our local hospital, and a meeting is to be held on Tuesday night to make arrangements for a Hospiti^ Saturday, such as has been conducted in the larger centres on more than cne occasion Invercargill people are good givers, and there can be no doubt that the necessary amount can easily be raided. Of the" accountancy students who sat at the examination held here in November last, Mr H. D. Marshall has qualified for the Fellows' Diploma of the New /.ealand Accountants and Auditors' Association. Mr G. A. Gilchrist gained a partial pass in the Associates' Grade, and Messrs John Campbe.l and Alfred Jones passed in the Students' Grade. Mr Campbell gained the highest marks in the Dominion At last meeting of the Invercargill Borough Council the Political Labour League applied for. and were granted, the use of the band rotunda in the Post Office Square for ouenair meetings. Invercargill continues to progress, buildings going up in all direotions. Messrs R. Gilmour and Sons, proprietors of the Southland Time®, are putting up ft fine building of sand bricks next the Police Station in Esk street. I understand that the proprietary have purchased % web machine, and will shortly begin to issue an eight-page paper daily. The Evening News proprietory ere also about to enlarge their premises with a view to introducing web machinery and publishing an eight-page paper, and Messrs Eoyds Brothers and Kirk, merchants, of Tay street, are about to eredt a large store on the site of the Royal Hotel, further up the street. A large number of residences continue to go up in the suburbs, especially in Gladstone and North Invercargill. Mr Westmeynr, engineer, of 'Wellington, is at present in Invercargill with the object of reporting for the Borough Council on the proposed water supply from the Oreti River above Dipton. No more permits for beer depots at the Waihopai will be issued after the end of this month. Anticipating the withdrawal of the permits, Messrs Eoope and Co. have erected a brewery plant at their depot, and will continue to sell from there, but the other brewers cannot do so, unless they also establish brewerieß. At the monthly meeting cf the Southland A. and P. Association on Friday, a resolution was passed acknowledging the valuable services rendered to the association for many years past by the late Mr James Holms, erf Waime-haka, and it was resolved to send a letter of sympathy to his widow and family. A distreasing suicide occurred near Invercargill on Wednesday. The body of Mr John Thompson, son of Mr Adam Thompson, tailor, of Tay street, was found in the New River at Otatara, and it is clear from a letter sent to his father, and from the fact that he purchased and apparently drank a. quantity of strychnine, that it was a case of determined suicide. It is generally supposed that the action of deceased was due to worry in consequence of the disappearance of certain monies collected by him for hi& father, which he professed to have posted at Orepuki in September last, but which never reached their destination, and his being charged with perjury at the local Police Court on account of this statementMi- A. Bain and Mr Regina'd Day, chairman and secretary respectively of the Southland Hospital and Charitable Aid Board, have bt-en deputed to attend the conference of Charitable Aid Boaids to be held in Wellington in June. — Southland Times. The Scuthland hugby Union's new football ground at. Elles road is now well grassed, and it is confidently expected that it will be m first-class order for playing when the season bsgins in April. Mr Keginald Day has resigned the secretaryship of the Southland Fanciers' Club, and Mr A. A Paape has been appointed in his steadNew Zealand timber is going far afield. A. and D. MacPherson, timber brokers, of Dunedin, have received an order for c trial shipment all the way from Austria The timber is to be used for furniture making, and will be mostly red pine. Mr J. T. Lumsden has been nominated by the Political Labour League as a candidate for councillor at municipal elections in Apiil. Mi M-Kmnon, of the Boys' High School staff, who ha 3 been suffering for seveial months Horn a bad knee, the result of a bicycle accident, has been granted three months' leave of absence to allow of complete rest- — Southland Times The Rev. D. Rankin, who has for the pa=t thiee years been curate to the Rev. W. C. Wood at Wintoriu and has now been appointed to the parish ci Wyndham, was last week entertained at a faiewell social by his Wmton friends, and presented with a gold cross and a watch guaid Mr Edward Coleman, a Gienham farmer, was kil'ed on Tuesday last by the overturning of his milk-laden cart while on the way to the factory. Says' the Western Star "As showing what a dairy factory means to a district, it may be mentioned that land has doubled in value at Gurmrues' Bush This is, a consequence, of course, of the good pi ice ruling for cheese. Mr W V H Hall, the well-known member of the first of Hall, Stout, and Lillicrap, barristers and solicitors, of Invercargill, is retiring from the practice of his piofession here with a view to a prolonged visit to Europe. Mr Hell was approt cheel a few days ago by the newly-formed Political Labour League, and asked "fro conteet the Invercargill seat in Parliament next election ; but, while aEstiring the deputation that he was in sympathy with their movement, regretted that the arrangements he had already made prevented his accepting their offer of support in the meantime. At St. Paul's Presbyterian Cnurch yesterday a memorial service, conducted by the Rev. George Lindp»y c was held for the late Mr John Turnbull. Mr Turnbull had been connected with the church for over 30 years, taking a prominent part in its management throughout Impure valor causes bladder troubles — WOLI'E & SCHNAPPS i a invaluable.